Champions League Knockout Play-offs Draw 2025/26 Explained: Tickets, TV Guides, Winners and Losers of the Draw

The 2025/26 UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-offs are set, and this draw is exactly the kind that turns February into a month-long football binge.

Eight two-legged ties will decide who joins the Round of 16, where the league-phase top eight are already waiting.

The new Champions League format doesn’t just determine who qualifies, it also shapes the path (and limits the number of possible opponents) much earlier than before.

Key takeaways

• The eight KO play-off ties are confirmed, with matches in February 2026.
• Several pairings are first-time Champions League meetings.
• The bracket design means each top-eight team has two possible Round of 16 opponents, which makes planning (and ticket buying) more straightforward than a fully open draw.
• The final destination is locked: Puskás Aréna, Budapest, 30 May 2026.

Important UCL dates

The European governing body has confirmed the windows for each round. Individual kick-off times are assigned later, but Champions League games typically kick off at 18:45 CET or 21:00 CET.

The format explained: league phase - KO play-offs - fixed bracket format

Why do we have “knockout phase play-offs”

In the new Champions League structure, teams are ranked after the league phase. Then:

• The top 8 go straight into the Round of 16.
• Teams ranked 9-24 go into two-legged knockout play-offs to earn the other eight Round of 16 spots.

UEFA also explains the draw mechanics clearly: clubs are paired by league-phase positions into seeded pairs (9-10, 11-12, 13-14, 15-16) and unseeded pairs (17-18, 19-20, 21-22, 23-24), then slotted into the bracket accordingly.

What the ‘silver’ and ‘blue’ sides are showing

• The outer KOPO (knockout play-off) ties sit at the edges.
• Closer to the middle, you see the Round of 16 “seed pair” boxes (like Barcelona/Chelsea, Liverpool/Tottenham, etc.).
• Each Round of 16 seed pair is connected to two KOPO ties, meaning every top-eight team has only two possible opponents (not a full open draw). That’s why the same seed pair appears near two different KOPO branches in the graphic.

Home advantage note

In the KO play-offs, higher-ranked teams (the seeded side) typically get the second leg at home, and the bracket note reinforces the importance of the return leg being the decisive night.

The KO play-off fixtures

• SL Benfica vs Real Madrid
• Bodø/Glimt vs Inter Milan
• AS Monaco vs Paris Saint-Germain (PSG)
• Qarabağ FK vs Newcastle United
• Galatasaray SK vs Juventus FC
• Club Brugge vs Atlético de Madrid
• Borussia Dortmund vs Atalanta BC
• Olympiacos vs Bayer Leverkusen

Knockout Playoffs First Leg Schedule:

Knockout Playoffs Second Leg Schedule:

UCL head-to-head History

Winners of the draw

The neutral fan

This bracket gives variety: a monster legacy tie (Benfica-Real Madrid), a heavyweight domestic clash (Monaco-PSG), and tactical chess ties (Brugge-Atleti, Olympiacos-Leverkusen).

Ticket hunters who plan early

Two-legged ties mean two premium matchdays per matchup. If you’re buying through a resale marketplace, early browsing helps you compare price tiers and delivery types before demand spikes.

Benfica or Real Madrid

Head-to-head records lean toward Benfica historically in European Cup/UCL terms. Goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin’s last-minute heroics helped Benfica to catch the last-minute train to Budapest.

However same Trubin goal put Real Madrid in the 9th position, adding two more games on their route to Budapest. Real Madrid are built for Champions League chaos, but Benfica have a real European pedigree, as they have shown in the last match.

Benfica under Mourinho will face Real Madrid to end their European curse, and Arbeloa’s Madrid with Kylian Mbappe will be waiting for Benfica for revenge at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Bodø/Glimt vs Inter

Bodø/Glimt’s UCL run is nothing short of a dream. They have beaten Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City and Diego Simeone’s Atletico De Madrid. They even refused to yield to Tottenham and Borussia Dortmund.

Losers of The Draw

Anyone who wanted new opponents only

Monaco vs PSG is the opposite of that; it’s familiarity, pressure, and zero room for surprises. UEFA confirms it as one of the set play-off ties.

Anyone planning to skip these clashes

A knockout round is a do-or-die round. UCL history is filled with teams giving their absolute best on the pitch, and all knockout rounds have had a fair share of tempers flaring, dramas unravelling, and peak football moments. These are meant to be cherished live, and skipping will be a very big mistake.

Round of 16 preview: who could play who?

UEFA confirms the top eight already through: Arsenal, Barcelona, Bayern München, Chelsea, Liverpool, Man City, Sporting CP, Tottenham.

From the bracket logic, each of these teams has two possible opponents, depending on which KOPO ties are won..

Potential Round of 16 opponent sets

How to get tickets for these Champions League matches?

Whether you want Champions League tickets, a specific tie like Benfica vs Real Madrid tickets, or you’re chasing a potential Round of 16 night, the buying mindset is the same: move early, compare options, and confirm delivery method. You can do all at that at the same time through 1BoxOffice.

The practical way fans do it at 1BoxOffice

1. Pick the exact Fixture
2. Compare listings by seating category and price tier
3. Check delivery type + timing
4. Plan matchday logistics

Streaming and how to watch it on Television?

If you can’t make it in person, UEFA’s “Where to watch” page is the safest starting point for official broadcast partners by country/region.

Common broadcaster patterns